Getting Started

Make sure that everyone is on board with the concept of Stonetop: that they'll play the heroes of a small, isolated village. If someone wants to play a rootless, treasurehunting mercenary, they're unlikely to enjoy themselves, and that will drag down the game for everyone.

Prior to the first session, ask your players to read the Setting Overview handout, at least the first page. Encourage them to think about any content that they want to exclude, veil, or handle in a particular way. Consider posting a shared document online where you and your players can record these things anonymously.

Set the expectation that the first session will mostly involve creating characters and the village itself. It's still play, and quite fun, but it's not the immersive, portrayingyour-character type of play that they might expect. (This is different if you choose to use an adventure starter.)

It's fine if players want to look over the character playbooks beforehand, but discourage anyone from making decisions just yet. Character creation should be done together, as a group.

As the GM, familiarize yourself with the Setting Overview, the Stonetop steading playbook, and the Moves & Gear handout. You should have a sense of what each character playbook is about, but you don't need to understand them in depth. Look at a few of the arcana handouts (minor and major) to get a sense for what they are and what they're like, but there's no need to study them in detail. If you have time, read through the rest of this book and Book II: The Wider World and Other Wonders.

As far as physical preparation goes, beyond this book you'll need hard copies of the following:

1 copy of each character playbook
1 copy of the steading playbook
1-4 copies of the Setting Overview
1-3 copies of the Moves & Gear handout (on colored paper if you can)
1 copy of the arcana cards
1 copy of the GM playbook

Print the PDFs for these documents double-sided (flipped on the short edge).

After you've printed everything:

1) Staple the Stonetop steading playbook, the Moves & Gear handout, and the Setting Overview, each at the top left.

2) Fold the character playbooks into individual booklets.

3) Cut out the "inserts" and slip the playbook-specific inserts into their appropriate playbooks.

4) Keep the Inventory inserts stacked and handy. Set aside the Revenant, Ghost, and Thrall inserts.

5) Assemble the GM playbook. Stack the sheets so that "Nearby Threats" is faceup. Fold all the pages over to make a booklet. Staple it along the spine.

6) If you have time, cut out all the arcana cards, major and minor.

There's nothing secret in any of these documents, so if any of your players are around ask them to help with the folding, cutting, and stapling!

If you're playing electronically, you'll need to configure and distribute materials in whatever way works best for you, your players, and the platform that you're using to play. Make sure that everyone has access to electronic copies of:

The Stonetop steading playbook
The Setting Overview
The Moves & Gear handout
The character playbooks and inserts Make the arcana handouts available individually, as needed.

Review the setting

Once you've gathered for the first session, ask everyone to take 10-15 minutes to read the Setting Overview handout. Do so even if everyone reviewed the handout in advance. It helps to refresh memories and get everyone on the same page.

When everyone's done, ask the group what questions they have. Answer to the best of your ability, inviting others to help.

Note that some questions (like, "Where did the Forest Folk go?") are mysteries that can only be answered in play.

Ask everyone what they find intriguing or exciting. What catches their imagination and makes them want to learn more?

Take notes! Be sure to include these topics in the game.

Set expectations

Refer to the first page of the Setting Overview. Ask everyone if they're comfortable with the players' agenda and principles.

Clarify and answer questions. Emphasize the importance of collaboration.

Explain that you have an agenda and principles, too. Specifically, your agenda is to:

Portray a rich and mysterious world
Punctuate their lives with adventure
Play to find out what happens Make it clear that you'll be fleshing out the world together. There are no "official" answers to many of the questions raised by the Setting Overview. There are many blanks to fill in. You (the GM) have a setting guide, but it's mostly filled with ideas rather than truths.

Discuss tone and content

Talk to your group about tone: Stonetop takes itself seriously, grounding itself in human concerns. The PCs are exceptional, but they aren't super-human. Violence has consequences. Monsters are scary. Magic is strange and dangerous. People matter.

The setting, playbooks, and rules go a long way towards establishing a consistent tone, but you and your players ultimately determine the game's tone in play. Obviously, you can play the game however you want. You'll almost certainly have moments of levity and silliness—you're doing this for fun, after all—but Stonetop works best when everyone mostly plays it straight.

Next, discuss any content that you and your players actively want to exclude, veil, or handle in a particular way. Explain why this is important, reading or paraphrasing the following:

"This game is collaborative, with each of us contributing to the game's fiction. We each have our own tastes, sensibilities, and boundaries, which the others can't fully anticipate. So, before we start play, we're going to establish guidelines for the content that we'll include in the game. The goal is to make the game enjoyable, comfortable, safe, and welcoming for everyone, and that's more important than anyone's sense of realism or historical accuracy."

If someone strongly objects to establishing content guidelines, or refuses to respect the wishes, boundaries, and dignity of their fellow human beings, then consider whether you really want to spend hours and hours playing with them.

Grab the Stonetop steading playbook and find the section on Content. Explain the difference between excluded content and veiled content.

Excluded content just won't be in the game, period. For example, if "torture" is excluded, then PCs won't torture anyone; monsters and NPCs won't torture anyone; no one will threaten anyone with torture; no one will have torture as part of their backstory. No torture, not even off-camera.

Veiled content can be part of the game, but only off-camera. If "torture" is veiled, then PCs, NPCs, and monsters can all threaten to torture each other, or have been tortured in the past. PCs, NPCs, and monsters can commit torture, too, but if they do, you "fade to black" or "pan away" and the actual torture happens off-camera.

You can—and probably should—address the aftermath of the torture on-camera, but skip the torture itself.

Excluded or veiled content can be broad ("slavery") or specific ("graphic depictions of harm to eyes"). It can be potentially upsetting ("torture"), or something that a player finds distasteful or mood-breaking ("punny names"), or even trivial ("NPCs named 'Sean'").

Start by sharing the content that you (the GM) want to exclude or veil, plus any such content that was shared with you in advance. Then give the players a few minutes to consider what (else) they want to exclude or veil. Ask for them to share, and note the content on the steading playbook.

If you suspect that some players will be shy about sharing, have the whole group submit their excluded/veiled content anonymously (via an online document or form, note cards, etc.).

Anyone can call for content to be excluded or veiled. If one player wants to exclude something that another player wants to veil, then that content is excluded.

It's fine to ask each other for clarification on what exactly is being excluded or veiled, but don't ask for reasons. Players can volunteer their reasons, but sometimes those reasons are private, unpleasant, or even traumatic and no one should be asked to unpack that for a game.

Let everyone know that they can call for new content to be excluded or veiled at any time, in this session, between sessions, or during future sessions. They don't need to speak now or forever hold their peace.

Mistakes will happen. When excluded content comes up in play, or veiled content gets included on-screen, whoever notices should call "time out" and point out what happened. Don't make a big deal about it; acknowledge the mistake, fix the fiction if necessary, and move on.

Likewise, if anyone realizes mid-session that some particular content is bothering them, they can call a time out. Identify the content that needs to be handled differently (clarifying as needed, but not asking for reasons). Update the steading playbook. Fix the fiction. Check in with the player and make sure they're okay.

When everyone's ready, continue.

Finally, ask if anyone has special requests regarding specific content. Is there certain content that anyone wants to handle in a particular way? Are there any truths they want to assert about the world, the village, or the game? For example:

"Spiders are okay, but I need us to avoid describing their legs.'"
"I'm cool with bigotry between the Hillfolk and Gordin's Delve, but I want Stonetop to be an open-minded and welcoming place."
"I don't want the Stone to be some source of ancient evil."
"I want to play a woman Marshal, defying a woman's 'proper place!'"
"Let's say that gender norms in Stonetop are super fluid and accepting."

Discuss, negotiate, and compromise as needed, trying to find common ground that works for everyone, and note these special requests in the steading playbook.

Making corrections

If you or a player realize that you're uncomfortable with content that came up during a previous session, discuss it before the next session. Update the steading playbook and fix the fiction as needed.

"Fix the fiction" means: decide as a group what happened instead. This isn't meant to undo the consequences of players' rolls or decisions, but rather to bring the fiction back in line with the comfort level of the group.

If a player consistently ignores the group's content guidelines, talk to them about it between sessions. If they persist, stop playing with them.

Create characters

After you review the setting, set expectations, and establish content guidelines, it's time to make characters! Do this together, during the first session.

First, have everyone pick a character playbook. Refer to the "Setting Overview" handout for a quick overview of each, and discuss who would like to play which one.

This will be much quicker and easier than reviewing the entirety of each playbook. If anyone is unsure, have them read the front page of the playbooks they are considering.

As each person makes their choice, hand them the appropriate playbook, along with any playbook-specific inserts. Everyone gets an Inventory insert as well. If someone chooses the Seeker, hand them the major arcana cards and tell them they'll need to choose one before play proper begins, as indicated by their playbook.

Ask each player to work through their playbook from front to back, making choices and filling in blanks as needed.

Answer questions as they arise. Common questions at this stage include:

My background says "go mark this now." What does that mean? If they take that background, they should open their playbook and mark that particular move, option, or special possession now (so that they don't forget to do so later).
What does my instinct do? It describes how their character tends to behave. Each session, they get XP if they demonstrate their instinct in play, or struggle against it.
Do I have to pick from these appearances? No, they can make up something else. The appearances are there to spark their creativity.
Do I have to pick one of these names? No, but the name lists are meant to give the world a cohesive feel. The steading playbook includes extra names if they want to pick something else.
Do I have to live in Stonetop? Yes, at least for now. There are only two exceptions: a Blessed with the Raised by Wolves background and a Lightbearer with the Itinerant Mystic background. Even they should have close ties to the village, and be there often.
How does "armor" work? Their armor value is (usually) based on their current gear. Armor reduces any damage they take. Multiple items with "x armor" don't stack with each other, but items that grant "+x armor" do stack (with each other, and with "x armor" items). 0-1 armor is typical. 2 armor is tough. 3 armor is the best a starting character can get.
What does or ◇◇◇ mean? The item counts against their load. If they bring it on an expedition, they'll mark that many on their Inventory insert. They ◇ can mark up to 3 ◇ with a light load, up to 6 ◇ with a normal load, and up to 9 ◇ with a heavy load.
Items without a or ◇◇◇ are either small (they don't count against your load, but you typically carry only ~4 of them on each expedition) or something that you don't carry on your person. It should be obvious which.
Can I have a different special possession? Sure, but keep it settingappropriate and on par with the other options. Check other playbooks for inspiration.
Do I get any (other) weapons or gear? Special possessions are the unique or interesting things that they own or have access to. Every character has access to common weapons, armor, and gear included on the Inventory insert. They shouldn't define their Inventory at the start of play. They'll do that when they first Outfit for an expedition.
How much damage do weapons do? Damage is based on the playbook, not on the weapon. The Heavy deals damage and the Lightbearer deals , regardless of whether they use a dagger or a maul. Some weapons of war deal "+1 damage," but that's an exception.
No, they don't add their STR or DEX to their damage rolls.
What do the various tags mean? Hand, close, reach, near, and far describe a weapon or light source's useful range. From closest to furthest, the ranges are hand < close < reach < near < far.
"Piercing" weapons ignore some of the target's armor. A weapon with "x piercing" has a piercing value equal to Stonetop's Prosperity (+0 by default).
Area, awkward, crude, cumbersome, dangerous, forceful, messy, thrown, warm, etc. are fictional cues. They have no numeric effects, but they color the fiction—which is important!
What does "roll + [STAT]" mean? They'll roll and add the modifier they've assigned to that stat. If the total is a 10+, yay! If the total is 7-9, okay. If the total is 6-, uh-oh.
What happens if I roll a 6 or less? If a move doesn't specify what happens on a 6-, then it means that the player marks XP and something bad happens. You (the GM) decide exactly what.
What does "advantage" mean? They roll an extra die and discard the lowest. Usually, that means rolling and keeping the 2 best dice. If they have "disadvantage," they roll an extra die and discard the highest (usually , keep the 2 worst). If they have advantage or disadvantage on a damage roll, they roll their damage die twice and keep the best/worst roll (and then add any bonus dice from moves).
Should I fill in the back page, too? Yes. They should complete the left column of their playbook's back page, making choices or answering questions as they wish, within the content guidelines established by the group.

If you're using an adventure starter, you might have specific instructions for certain playbooks.

Intro the PCs

Everyone should stop and wait at the Introductions section of their playbooks, which comprises the second column on the back page. They can read it over and think about answers to the questions, but shouldn't make any hard decisions until everyone's ready to do so as a group.

When all the players are at that point, set expectations: they'll take turns introducing themselves, adding details, asking and answering questions about each other and the setting as it develops through conversation.

While this happens, encourage them to...

Pay attention: take interest in what everyone else says.
Ask and answer questions: if they want to know more about something that comes up, ask. Answer questions asked of you honestly.
Play off of each other: incorporate details mentioned by others into your own contributions.

As GM, you'll ask a lot of questions, too.

See the following pages for suggestions.

Whenever someone wants or needs to add a new NPC to the mix, suggest that they pick one of the unused names from the front of their playbook. Additional names are available in the steading playbook. Also give each NPC an occupation and/or trait (the steading playbook has a list of suggestions, see Steading Playbook).

Take notes! Add NPCs to the steading playbook as you go, or take more freeform notes for now and update the Residents of Stonetop and Notable Neighbors later.

Adventure starters

If you want to start an adventure right away, during the first session, then download an adventure starter from www.lampblackandbrimstone.com.

Each starter presents abbreviated steps for character creation and introductions, and then launches into a specific adventure. The results won't be as unique or fleshed out as what you get with the standard process, but you'll get to the action more quickly!

1 Vital info

Choose someone to go first. They'll introduce themselves by name, pronouns, background (and playbook, if unclear), origin, and appearance.

Ask questions based on their playbook and background. Use the following questions as a guide, but of course ask whatever your curiosity demands. Encourage the other players to do so as well: "Anyone else curious about anything that was just mentioned?"

It's okay to leave blanks! If someone isn't sure about a detail, or doesn't want to decide just yet, that's fine. Make a note and come back to it later—or just leave it as an open question to be answered in play.

If their origin is someplace other than Stonetop, ask them the following (unless the answer is obvious):

What brought you (or your family) to Stonetop? Why here, specifically?
Who else, if anyone, came with you?
How long ago was this? Decades? Years? Months? Days?

The Blessed

Initiate

Who are your fellow initiates?
How long ago were you initiated?
How were you chosen? By lineage? By trial? By sign or omen?
Did anyone else seek your role?
What did the initiation rites entail? Were they public or secret? Festive or somber?
What do your duties as an initiate entail?

Raised by Wolves

Were you one of the Forest Folk? Stolen, lost, or abandoned? Something else?
Did you grow up in the Great Wood? On the Flats? Somewhere else?
What drew you to Stonetop? What ties you to the village?
When did you first make yourself known to the village? How did that happen?
Do you live in town? On the outskirts? In the Wood? How often do you visit?

Vessel

How did you gain or become aware of your power? When did this happen?
How has your life changed since gaining your powers?
Do you have a mentor? Or are you selftaught, going by instinct and insight?
Do you hold some formal position as a servant of Danu?

The Fox

The Natural

What mundane craft, trade, or skill do you excel at, better than anyone?
What well-earned reputation do you have?
What lies get whispered behind your back?
What secret do you know? About whom?

A Life of Crime

What criminal enterprise were you a part of? Who ran the show?
How did you get into that life?
How did you get out?
Who or what did you leave behind?
Who here knows about your past?

The Prodigal Returned

Why did you leave? How long ago?
Where did you go first? Why?
Where were you the longest?
What brought you home? When?
What has changed most while you were away?

The Heavy

Sheriff

Is this a formal position, or just something everyone agrees on?
How long have you acted as sheriff?
Who, if anyone, did this job before you?
Just where exactly did you learn how to fight so well?

Blood-soaked Past

How did you earn your grim reputation?
What did people used to call you, back in your dark bloody days?
What prompted you to put all that behind you? When did that happen?
Who here knows about your past?
Who have you, personally, lost to violence?

Storm-marked

When did the marks manifest? How?
Are they a symbol of your strength, speed, and courage? Or the source?
Are the marks a blessing? Or a curse?
How do folks in Stonetop generally treat you?

The Judge

Legacy

How long have you been the Judge? How long before that were you the apprentice?
Who was the Judge before you? Are they still alive?
How were you chosen as the prior Judge's apprentice?
What is the symbol of your authority (hammer, shield, or helm)? Where does the Chronicle say it came from?

Missionary

Where are you from, originally? Where did you do your apprenticeship?
How were you chosen as an apprentice?
How long were you an apprentice? How long have you been a full Judge?
Of the Judges in the other steadings (Devin, Haeris, etc.)…

which was your mentor?
which was a fellow apprentice?
which is reliable but inflexible?
which is clever but ambitious?
which lacks the necessary mettle?

When did you arrive in Stonetop? How were you received?
Was there a prior Judge in Stonetop, or are you the first?
What is the symbol of your authority (hammer, shield, or helm)? Was it bestowed by your order, or did you find it?

Prophet

How did Aratis call you to her service?
What is the symbol of your authority (hammer, shield, or helm)? Where and how did you acquire it?
How did you establish yourself as Stonetop's Judge?

The Lightbearer

Auspicious Birth

How was your birth marked by Helior?
How did your connection to Helior shape your youth?
Do you hold some formal position as a servant of Helior?
Who in town resents you, or at least what you represent?
Who in town is your most devoted disciple?

Itinerant Mystic

What is it that keeps drawing you back to Stonetop?
Where else do you regularly travel to?
How long have you lived this wandering lifestyle?
Why is it that some folk from Stonetop are always so happy to see you?
Why is it that some folk from Stonetop can't wait to see you go?

Soul on Fire

What sort of vice or iniquity once ruled your life?
What brought you so low, only to find succor in Helior's light?
Do you hold some formal position as a servant of Helior?
How have the people of Stonetop responded to your preaching?

The Marshal

Scion

Who ran the militia before you?
When did you take charge?
Did anyone else want your position?
What is the nature of your crew? Why are they so respected?
How do you recruit or initiate members?

Penitent

Where did you and your crew operate, before? What kind of bloody business did you all get up to?
What caused you to set that life aside?
Did any of your old crew refuse to join you? Last you heard, what are they up to?
Who spoke on your behalf when you first arrived? Who still doesn't trust you?
Did you take over Stonetop's militia from someone else? How'd that go?
How well has your crew integrated into Stonetop?

Luminary

Are you touched by the gods? Does ancient blood flow in your veins? Or are you just the one who stepped up when needed?
When and how did it become clear that you were a natural leader?
When did you take charge of the militia?
Who, if anyone, ran the militia before you?
What is the nature of your crew?
How do you recruit or initiate members?

The Ranger

Mighty Hunter

How long have you plied the Wood? Who first taught you their ways?
Did you ever meet the Forest Folk, before they disappeared? Where do you think they went?
What deed are you most renowned for?

Wide Wanderer

What drives you to wander, when others stay safely at home?
Why do you call Stonetop home? Why do you always return here?
Of the folks you added to the list of neighbors (Tirny, Eser, etc.)…

which one wants you dead?
which one is always glad to see you?
which one owes you a life debt?

What's one place you've always wanted to visit, but have never been?

Beast-bonded

What type of beast is your companion? What's its name? Tell us about it!
How long ago did you bond with your companion, and how did it happen?
What special power do you have with your animal companion?
Who in town does your companion adore?
Who in town does your companion terrify?

The Seeker

Patriot

What grim event convinced you that Stonetop and the people you love are in danger?
Who else knows about your arcana and the powers you tamper with?
How did you learn so much of the Things Below, and your other area of expertise?

Antiquarian

How did you learn so much of the Makers, and your other area of expertise?
What do other scholars claim the Stone really is? What do you think, instead?
What convinced you that Stonetop holds the key to your greatest discoveries?
What is it you hope to find here? What is it that keeps you here?

Witch Hunter

What set you on the path of hunting evil?
What have you sacrificed, walking this path?
How did you come to be so well versed in your chosen subjects?
Why do you (still) call Stonetop home?

The Would-be Hero

Impetuous

What was your first taste of danger and excitement?
What do you dream of becoming?
What hero of old do you idolize?
Who have you let down the most?

Driven

What happened to set you down this path?
When and where did this happen?
What was your life like before then?

Destined

What are the elements of your destiny?
How and when was your destiny (or what you know of it) revealed to you?
Is your destiny a curse? A blessing? Do you even believe in it?
Who knows about your destiny? How much? How much do they believe?

2 Special possessions

The next step is to establish each character's special possessions, and how they contribute to the village. During this round, you're trying to figure out where the PCs fit into daily life.

Almost everyone in Stonetop helps in the fields, at least during spring planting and fall harvest. Most of the crops (beans, potatoes, barley) get stored in the granary and doled out as needed. Folks keep their own homes, with gardens and small livestock.

A dozen or so folks ply the Great Wood.

There are only a few full-time craftsfolk: a publican, a potter, a tanner, a smith, and a midwife. Other crafts (carpentry, weaving, etc.) get done on the side, by whoever has the skills and the tools. Most trade is based on barter, debt, and honor.

Have the players go around and share their special possessions and how they earn their keep. Most players will naturally tie their possessions into how they contribute to the village, but if they don't, press them on it.

Ask the questions below, plus whatever else you're curious about. Take notes, and update the steading playbook as needed.

Smithy or tannery

Are you the town's smith/tanner, or their apprentice, or what?
How long have you been doing this? How'd you get started?

Tools (carpenter's, husbandry, etc.)

Do you earn your keep with these tools? Or is it something you do on the side?
Where did you get them? How did you learn to use them?

Apiary, aviary, chandlery, goat herd, glassworks, or herb garden

How big is it? And where?
Is it yours? Yours to manage? Or what?
How long has it been in Stonetop?
What's its importance to the village?

Distillery

Are you the publican? Or related to them?
How long have you been doing this?
How good is your stuff? Whose is better?

Anything else

How did you come to possess that? When?
What do others know/think about it?
What does it mean to you? To the town?

Finally, ask everyone:

Can you read and write? If so, who taught you, and when?

3 World building

The next round has each player describe the specific choices they've made in the left column on the back of their playbook. Each playbook has a different set of prompts and questions.

This step helps your group develop their specific version of the Stonetop world. The nature of the gods, the village's history, and more might get established. As players reveal details about their characters and the setting, take more notes and ask more questions. Pay particular attention to any threats or tensions that they introduce.

These will become very important soon!

Here are some things to ask each character.

You don't have to ask them all, and you certainly aren't limited to these.

The Blessed

Sacred Pouch

How did you get your sacred pouch? What's it made from, and how is it adorned?

The Earth Mother

Is Danu generally worshipped, avoided, petitioned, or appeased?
Why do the villagers leave the offerings that they do? Why are these things sacred to Danu? What do they symbolize?
How is Danu's worship different among other peoples? Do her chosen (like you) recognize any sort of fellowship?

The Fox

Tall Tales

Where did this happen? When? Who was with you? How exactly did you ___?
Sure, that's what you tell everyone, but what really happened?

The Heavy

A History of Violence

For each of the things that everyone talks about: When did this happen? Where were you? What prompted it? Who was with you? How exactly did you ___?
For each thing that folks are less keen to discuss: What's the story, there? Who, what, where, and when?
For the things keeping them up at night: Who else have you shared this with? Who are you keeping it from?

The Judge

The Chronicle

How was the Chronicle built/discovered?
Who is welcome in the Chronicle?
Why is the Chronicle located where it is?
If the Chronicle is haunted: Whose spirit(s) do you think they are? How often do they appear?
If the Chronicle contains dangerous artifacts: What do they look like? How do you know they're dangerous? Who else knows about them? How did they get there?

The Lawkeeper

How many true disciples of Aratis are present in Stonetop? Just a handful? A sizeable minority? A majority?
How do Aratis's true disciples feel about the reverence of other gods?
What was the most recent dispute you've been called on to settle? How did you rule?

The Lightbearer

Praise the Day Ask them about any apparent contradictions. For example, if the worship of Helior is widely persecuted but his shrine in Stonetop is given the place of highest honor... how do they explain that?

Why does Helior's proper worship consist of the things that it does? Why do those things please him so?
Do Helior's worshippers abroad recognize you as the appointed servant that you are?
What was the previous Lightbearer called? When did they live and die?
Were there other Lightbearers before them?

Which invocations do you know?

The Marshal

War Stories

Ask for details. Drill down on their answers to fill in any gaps in your sense of what happened.

Would you call it a victory, a defeat, or a draw?
What part did your crew play? What part did you play?
How do you think it would it have gone, had you not been there?
What are your crew's tags, instinct, and cost? Who are these people? (No need to name each one just yet, but who are they in general or as a group?)

The Ranger

Something Wicked This Way Comes

Ask for details, but leave some questions unanswered. The threat should feel mysterious, at least at the outset.

Where exactly did this happen? When?
Why do you think that?

The Seeker

Collection

Ask about their major arcana, the minor arcana they have unlocked, and the minor arcana they have not yet mastered:

How long have you had it/known about it?
Who else knows about it?
Where is it/where do you keep it?
When did you (start to) unlock its secrets?
What do you hope to accomplish with it?

The Would-be Hero

Fear & Anger

From whence does this fear come?
When did you first experience it?
What is the source of your anger? Why does ___ fill you with righteous fury?

4 & 5 NPC connections

The next step creates more connections between the PCs and NPCs in the village. Go around and on each player's turn, have them pick any one question from step 4, answering it with the name of one or more NPCs who live in Stonetop.

Ask follow-up questions as they occur to you (like, "Owena is your wife—do you have any kids?" or, "You're secretly watching over Gerlt? Why?") Encourage the players to ask each other questions as well.

Players can invent new NPCs or reuse NPCs previously established. If they introduce a new NPC, suggest that they pick a name from the unused choices on their playbook.

Add new NPCs to the appropriate sections of the Stonetop steading playbook.

Assign each one an occupation and a trait.

(Alternately, just take notes for now and add them to the playbook later.)

Once everyone has gone once, repeat the process. This time, though, the players can pass instead of answering another question.

Keep going until everyone has passed.

Before you move on to step 6, ask each PC the following (unless the answers are already clear):

Are you married? Single? Betrothed? Widowed? Any kids?
Are your parents still alive? Your grandparents? Siblings?

6 & 7 PC connections

In step 6, the players start to flesh out the relationships between their PCs.

The first player picks a question from step

6, and asks it aloud to the other players.

Anyone can answer "me," and the asking player writes their name down in the space provided. Then, the next player goes, and the next. Repeat until everyone has gone.

If no one bites on a particular question, talk it through. Encourage the others to really consider it, but don't force someone to say "me." If no one bites, have the player ask a different question.

As always, ask follow-up questions to flesh out the details. "So, Ari, you've been with Vahid the entire way, huh? You met back in Lygos, then. What brought you together?"

When everyone has gone once, repeat the process, with each player asking another question or passing. When everyone has passed, move on.

Only two players?

If you have only two players, the questions in step 6 ("Which one of you...?") won't work as written. Here's an alternative.

On each player's turn, have them pick two questions from their list and pose them to the other PC as an either/or, rephrasing as needed. For example, the Blessed might ask "Do you doubt the power of Danu, or have you participated in a sacred rite with me?"

The other player then chooses. Have them go back and forth like this, as many times as they want.

8 Homes

Finally, on the first page of the Stonetop steading playbook, add a point of interest for each PC's home. Ask questions, such as…

Who do you live with? Family? By yourself? Do any of you live together?
Why is your home there, as opposed to somewhere else?
Where do your parents/grandparents/ siblings/etc. live?
Where is the smith/tannery/ Chronicle/aviary/chandlery/etc.?

Also, add any new points of interest to the appropriate maps. For example, if the Seeker knows the location of some creepy carvings in a limestone cave, in the cliff face a few miles north of town, then add it to the Vicinity map.

Once you've updated the maps, it's time to let spring burst forth.

Let spring burst forth

Ask the players to decide whose character is the most hopeful. Refer them to the Seasons Change move on the Moves & Gear handout (on the third page, under "Homefront Moves"). Tell them that spring has just broken forth upon the land, and ask them to roll +Fortunes (+1, in this case).

On a 10+, ask them to choose one of these:

Interesting news
Valuable insight
Trade opportunity

You're looking for a plot hook, something to kick off the first adventure. The other choices (like Tor's blessing or unexpected bounty) don't provide such a hook.

On a 7-9, have them choose whatever gain they like. You'll combine that with a threat to create your starting situation.

On a 6-, chuckle grimly and start thinking about threats.

Make a note of the result, and update the steading playbook if needed. Then start to wrap up. It'll be tempting to jump into character and start playing right away, but don't do it. You need to time to think about everything the players have given you and prepare the first adventure.

Before you go, ask the players:

What excites you the most about playing your character?

Whatever they tell you, write it down. Try to work it into the first adventure.

After the session

You've got a pile of NPCs, relationships, events, and details. Now you need to turn them into something coherent and useful for both you and your players. You also need to plan the first adventure.

Organize your notes

Take some time to update the Residents of Stonetop and the Notable neighbors on the steading playbook. Include each NPC who was established, with their occupation, connection(s) to the PCs or other NPCs, and perhaps a notable trait. (You can leave the trait off for now, and ask the players about them in play.)

Space on the steading playbook is limited and the playbook can be hard to update in play. Also, you might have notes about NPCs that you don't want the players to see. Consider recording your NPCs on a spreadsheet or other electronic document.

If you're a visual thinker, consider making a relationship map. Each "node" on the map represents a character (PC or NPC).

Cluster characters together by location (Stonetop residents here, Hillfolk there) and further cluster them by affiliation (the Initiates of Danu, the Marshal's crew, etc.). Draw lines between characters and groups, with a note describing the relationship (like "mother/daughter,"

"budding romance," or "watching closely").

A relationship map helps you and your players "see" the social landscape of the game, but it requires a lot of work to create and maintain.

Create a timeline, arranging the events that your players established from oldest to most recent.

As you organize your notes, you'll find contradictions like "Vahid got here last year, but Blodwen was initiated two years ago—he couldn't have participated in the initiation rites!" Either ask the players about them (before or at the start of the next session) or just make a decision about how to correct the contradiction if you think it's a low-impact change.

Flip through Book II and look for potential connections to the PCs and the details you all established during introductions.

For example, if Rhianna's predecessor died five years ago fighting bandits, then maybe those bandits were Brennan and his Claws, who now run the Marshedge Guard. If you're okay with just deciding that such a connection is true, add it to your NPC notes and/or timeline. If you think it might be true, but aren't sure, then add it to your "I wonder..." list.

Share your updated list of NPCs and your timeline with the players. Ask them to review it before the next session, to help get everyone on the same page. Point out any lingering questions for them to answer,

and any changes that you've made. Ask for feedback, and incorporate it as appropriate.

Identify threats

Look over your notes again and identify the sources of trouble or ongoing problems for the PCs or the village. Write these up as threats, to whatever level of detail makes sense right now.

If your notes imply a threat, but the threat's nature isn't entirely clear, add it to your "I wonder..." list.

"I wonder…"

Keep a running list of open questions—things that you wonder about, but either…

you don't know how to answer yet, or
you want to leave unanswered for now and see it get answered through play.

"I wonder... what did happen to the Forest Folk? What was that thing Vahid faced when he got the Mindgem? What exactly is making the crinwin so bold?"

Refer to these questions as you prepare adventures. Use the list to help identify the adventure's central opportunity or threat, or to help write the setup questions that you'll ask the characters.

Refer to this list during your sessions, when you need something interesting to say. Can you say something that answers one of these questions? Or that hints at the answer? Can you turn one of these questions back on the characters, and ask them to give you the answers?

Update these questions between sessions.

If a question has been answered, remove it.

If a new question occurs to you, add it to the list.

Plan the first adventure

Look at your notes, your threats, your "I wonder..." list, and the results of that first Seasons Change roll, and use them to prepare your first adventure. See First Adventure for guidance.

If you haven't already done so, read the rest of this book before the next session.